Feeding mechanism for sheet material



June 17, 1930. H H, WYDOM 1,763,735

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SHEET MATERIAL Filed April 25. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Hrer Z//ydowu June 17, 1930. H. H. wYDoM FEEDING MECHANISM FR SHEET MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23 1928 @lub June 17, 1930. H, H WYDQM 1,763,735

FEIEDING MECHANISM FOR SHEET MATERIAL Filed April 23, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT H. WYDOM, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO HOOD RUBBER COMPANY, INC., OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPO- m'rroN OFDELAWAEE FEEDING MECHANISM FOB SHEET MATERIAL Application mea apra 2a, 192s. serial No. 272,008.

This invention relates to a feeding mechanism and particularly to a mechanism for feeding a continuous strip of sheet material.

The object of the invention is to provide a 5 simple and efficient mechanism for feeding a continuous strip of sheet material, such, for example, as sheet rubber, so that shrinkage of the material will be controlled or prevented or so that its margins will not curl, or so that it will be compelled to move at the same speed with the feeding means, for example, the mechanism embodying therein a pair of endless flexible feeding members having spurs projecting therefrom and penetrating said sheet material, means also being provided for engaging the sheet material and holding it upon the points of the spurs.

The invention consists in a feeding mechanism for sheet material as set forth in the following specification and particularly as pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a feeding mechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the feedingY mechanism.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the mechanism as viewed at the left of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 5 represents a frame upon which shafts 6 and 7 are journalled to rotate in bearings 8 and 9 respectively. The shaft 6, has a sprocket 10 rigidly fastened thereto at each end thereof respectively, and in like manner the shaft 7 has a sproc iet 11 rigidly fastened thereto at each end thereof respectively.

An endless flexible feeding member, preferably a chain 12, extends from each of the sprockets 10 to and around each of the sprockets 11. The chains 12 embody therein a plurality of links 13 having spurs 14 projecting therefrom and adapted to penetrate the under surface of a continuous strip of sheet material A as the latter is fed in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 2.

The portion of each chain 12 which engages the sheet material A is prevented from sagging between the sprockets 10 and 11 by a track 15 over which the links of the chains slide as they pass from the sprocket 11 to the sprocket 10. Each track l5 is mounted upon a pair of brackets 16, in turn mounted upon the frame 5.

To maintain the proper tension upon the chains 12, a tightening mechanism is provided which consists of a pair of idler sprockets 17, each of which is rotatably mounted at 18 on an arm 19 rigidly fastened to a rock shaft 20 mounted in the frame 5. An arm 21 also rigidly fastened 4to the `rock shaft 20, has a connecting rod 22 attached thereto which extends from said arm through a bracket 24 provided at one end of the frame 5, and an end portion of said rod 22 is screw-threaded at 23 to receive an adjusting nut v25, one end of which engages the surface of the bracket 24 in a manner to impart a longitudinal movement to the rod 22 and thereby rock the shaft 20.

A means is provided for holding the sheet material in contact with the points of the spurs 14 as follows :-Projecting upwardly from each side of the frame 5 at one end thereof is a standard 26. At the opposite end of the frame 5 from the standards 26 are brackets 27. At their upper ends thebrackets 27 are slotted at 28. A frame 29 is located above the sheet material A, being held in position by the standards 26 and brackets 27. The frame 29 is rectangular in form and embodies therein a pair of side members 30 having cross members 31 extending therebetween at their opposite ends. Pins 32l project laterally from the side members 30 adjacent to one end thereof and said pins project into the slots 28 of the brackets 27 The opposite extremities of the side members 30 from that upon which the pins 32 are located are slotted at 33, thereby providing a bifurcatediendfor each of said side members.

The standards 26' project upwardly through the slots 33, and thereby prevent any lateral movement of the forward end of the frame 29. Recesses 34 are provided upon the inner sides of the side members 30, and located within these recesses are rollers 35 which are rotatably mounted upon studs 36. An endless belt 37 extends over the rollers of each side member and the lower portion of said belt rests upon the upper surface of the strip of sheet material A.

A member 38 is mounted upon each of the standards 26 and the lower portion of cach of said members is held firmly in engagement with the upper surface of the side member 30 by a spring 39, the tension of which is varied by a nut 40. At the rear end of the frame 29 collars 41 are mounted upon the outer extremities of the pins 32 and weights 42 are supported from said collars by rods 43. The belts 37 are located above the chains 12 and extend for approximately the entire distance between the sprockets 10 and 11.

The general operation of the feeding mechanism hereinbefore specifically described is as follows z-Assuming that the chains 12 are driven in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 2, by any suitable mechanism which may be connected with either the shaft 6 or the 'shaft 7 a continuous strip of sheet material A is fed between said chains and the belts 3T.

As the spurs 14 of the links 13 of the chains 12 engage the under surface of the strip of sheet material A they will penetrate it upon the under surface and adjacent to each edge thereof, and said material will be fed at the same rate of speed as that at which the chains 12 are traveling.

During the feeding movement, the sheet material is held firmly against the points of the spurs 14 by means of the endless belts 37, and the pressure of said belts upon the sheet material may be varied by manipulating the nuts 40 upon the standards 26. The tension upon both chains 12 may be adjusted in unison by manipulating the adjusting nut 25.

I claim:

1. A feeding mechanism for sheet material having, in combination, an endless flexible feeding member, spurs projecting therefrom and penetrating material resting thereagainst, a frame, a plurality of'rollers rotatably mounted upon said frame, an endless belt movable upon said rollers and engaging said sheet material and holding the latter in contact with the points of said spurs, and yielding means engaging said frame and forcing said belt against the surface of said sheet material.

2. A feeding mechanism for sheet material having, in combination, an endless flexible feeding member, spurs projecting therefrom and penetrating material resting thereagainst, a frame, a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted upon said frame, an endless belt movable upon said rollers and engaging said sheet material and holding the latter in contact with the points of said spurs, yieldingmeans engaging said frame thereof and forcing said belt against the surface of said sheet material, means to vary the pressure of said yielding` means and a weight suspended from said frame at the other end thereof.

4. A feeding'mechanism for sheet material having, in combination, an endless flexible feeding member, spurs projecting therefrom and penetrating material resting thereagainst, a frame, a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted upon said frame, an endless belt movable upon said rollers and engaging said sheet material and holding the latter in contact with the points of said spurs, yielding means engaging said frame at one end thereof and forcing said belt against the surface of said sheet material, means to vary the pressure of said yielding means, a weight suspended from said frame at the other end thereof, and means to support said flexible feeding member beneath the portion thereof which is in engagement with the sheet material.

5. A feeding mechanism for sheet material having, in combination, an endless flexible feeding member, spurs projecting therefrom and penetrating material resting thereagainst, a frame, a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted upon said frame, an endless belt movable upon said rollers and engaging said sheet material and holding the latter in Contact with the points of said spurs, yielding means engaging said frame at one end thereof and forcing said belt against the surface of said sheet material, means to vary the pressure of said yielding means, a weight suspended from said frame at the other end thereof, means to support said flexible feeding member beneath the portion thereof which is in engagement with the sheet material, and means to vary the tension of the flexible feeding member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' HERBERT H. WYDOM. 

